The use of condoms is well-known. Their purposes are manifold, including particularly the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. However, in recent years, condoms have been more and more employed by persons whose sexual partner is not necessarily their married spouse. Nonetheless, there is a very active campaign against the spread of venereal disease or other sexually-transmitted diseases, among young people in particular, by promoting the use of condoms in all sexual encounters. This has led to the distribution of condoms from health and family planning centers located on many college and university campuses, and from Public Health Authorities and the like.
However, more recently, there has also developed a widespread of incidence of AIDS or HIV, particularly in the African continent, and now also Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Regrettably, in some instances, AIDS passes from person to person as a consequence of ingrown cultural beliefs. More particularly, however, it is also believed that the spread of AIDS, particularly in the African continent, comes as a consequence of a lack of condoms, and particularly ones which can be easily and intuitively applied to an erect penis by the male or his partner, without having to fumble and remove a condom from an envelope.
The same criterion has also led to the development of the condom package of the present invention when it applies to persons such as young married couples, or at least couples in love with one another, but whose amorous encounters beg the use of a condom for any of the purposes discussed above, particularly so as to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.
In such instances, it is well-known that the sexual act which will follow will be a more pleasant experience, as well as being safer, if the condom can be put into place quickly, and preferably with one hand.
To that end, therefore, the present invention provides. packages for condoms which can be easily opened so as to extract the condom therefrom, in many cases using one hand or at least only very temporarily requiring the use of two hands.
Moreover, it is an intent and purpose of the present invention to provide packaged condoms in packages which can be economically prepared so as to bring them to the market at a reasonably low cost. This is particularly important when it is considered that the supply of condoms to the African continent, and elsewhere, will be one of the major factors in preventing the spread of AIDS or HIV. Obviously, prevention of the spread of AIDS is much less expensive, in the long run, than providing drugs to combat the effects of AIDS on individuals suffering therefrom; so the supply of easily applied condoms at low cost becomes, in essence, a health issue having long-term, international, ramifications.
The present inventor has unexpectedly discovered that it is possible to supply a packaged condom using a frangible plastics material of the sort of packaging material presently used for ordinary condom envelopes, which require to be torn at one end so as to extract the condom therefrom. However, it is possible to apply a seal over a cut formed in such packaging material using a label having low tack adhesive for easy removal when desired, where the frangible plastics material of the package has been pre-cut and where notches have been located so as to face the ends of the cuts in order to induce failure and therefore tearing or breaking of the package, when appropriate. Moreover, the inventor herein has discovered a way in which tactile differentiation of the orientation of the still rolled condom within a package can be determined so as to ensure that the condom is correctly placed over an erect penis. This assures easy rolling of the flexible ring portion of the condom at the open end thereof, and it also ensures that if there is such as a spermicide included in the interior of the condom, or it is tipped or shaped in such a manner as to collect ejaculate, that these criteria are met and that the proper orientation of the condom over the erect penis is preserved.
Several other features which provided added value for young couples, in particular, can also be employed in condom packages in keeping with the present invention, such as making at least a portion of them luminous so that they may be found in relative darkness.
Nonetheless, the principal feature is to provide a properly sealed condom in a package which will break or tear in the appropriate circumstances and at the appropriate time, by simple removal of a label which covers cuts formed in the top and bottom walls of the condom package so that, upon application of force as the condom is being put into place over an erect penis, the package will tear or break so as to be easily discarded, while assuring that the placement of the condom is correct and is easily attended to.